Friday, Jul 10 - Most attendees check in & register

Saturday, Jul 11 - Main Tours & Host Reception

Sunday, Jul 12 - Color Guard Breakfast (All VA Color Guardsmen strongly encouraged),        Memorial Service, First Lady's Tea

Monday, July 13, - Opening Session, Youth Awards Luncheon, Recognition Night

Tuesday, Jul 14 - District Breakfast (VA compatriots strongly encouraged), General Session (cont.), PG's Banquet

Wednesday, Jul 15 - General Session, Afternoon Tours, Elections, Installation Banquet

The theme of the 2019-2020 Presidential Initiatives is grounded in four R’s: Recruit, Reaffirm, Recognize and Retain. Since announcing the Initiatives at the Annual Meeting in February, dates have been set for some of the events and others have already taken place. In addition to attending the first of our National events in South Boston, I have already presented greetings to both the Children of the American Revolution in Williamsburg and the Daughters of the American Revolution in Richmond, as well as attending ceremonies in both Culpeper and Oak Grove and the National Spring Leadership Meting in Louisville, Kentucky.

The importance of Recruiting is obvious. New members are the life blood of our organization. Recruiting, however, is more than just attracting and enlisting new members. As an incentive for recruiting new members, the Chapter grant program initiated by then President Mike Elston and continued under Past President Pat Kelly will continue. I am assured that the rebate checks to the eligible chapters will be going out in the next week or so. We need to continue our work with the CAR and DAR to obtain referrals of those who might be eligible for membership. Recruiting however also includes getting members to serve on Committees, Chapter, State and National, to serve as officers at those levels, and to attract and encourage youth to participate in our Youth Programs, including the Eagle Scout Program, The ROTC/JROTC Program, The Orations, Essay, Poster and Brochures Programs. Chapter or Chapters participating in the most of these programs will again be recognized by the Wayne and Wink Rouse Award. To facilitate youth participation, financial incentives are essential. The Mark S, Brennan, Jr. Fund has been in the forefront of allowing us as a State Society to increase those incentives. I therefore have challenged the Society to add at least $15,000 to this Fund and I will personally match the first $2,000 raised. My check has already been sent and I ask you to do the same. Chapters having individuals who contribute at least $1,000 will be recognized with a streamer and donations will be counted toward commissions or promotions in the First Virginia SAR Regiment. Contributions should be made payable to Virginia SAR, with the Brennan Fund indicated on the Memo line, and sent to our Society Treasurer, Rick Elofson, 21 Paula Maria Drive, Newport News, Virginia 23606.

The second R is for Reaffirm. Every time we recite the SAR Pledge, we commit ourselves to reaffirm our commitment to defend the principles of Liberty and our Constitutional Republic against every foe. As a means of doing so, I challenge you to make every effort to attend the four Nationally recognized events in the Commonwealth. The first of these, the Crossing of the Dan, took place the third week of February. The three remaining are Martin’s Station celebrated on May 11, Yorktown on October 19, and Great Bridge in early December. Chapters having members attending all four events will be recognized with a streamer. A monument will be dedicated later in the year honoring the Culpeper Minutemen. Participation there will also be recognized with a streamer. We also will again be joining with the Society of the War of 1812 in Virginia and will be participating in two ceremonies on June 1, the first a grave marking ceremony at the Cedar Grove Ceremony at 10:00 and the second a plaque dedication at 11:30 at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, Virginia. A program to place markers or monuments honoring patriots and War of 1812 veterans buried or memorialized in each of Virginia’s counties at the Courthouse or other significant location, similar to the recognition given to World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and more recent conflicts has been launched, we expect to dedicate one in Warren County this fall, and further hope to continue this project in years to come. We are also looking ahead, and as part of our Strategic Planning will develop a multi-year plan so that future dedications can include the DAR and veteran’s organizations in such recognition programs.   

The third R is to Recognize. Here there is some overlap with the second R, but as envisioned, we need to focus on recognizing and rewarding those who participate in our programs, giving their time energy, and money to advance our cause. Our Youth Program participants, compatriots, spouses, schools, businesses, and friends who properly display the flag, public servants, particularly our first responders, and elected community officials all richly deserve recognition. 2019 also marks the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of indentured Afro-American at Jamestown and the Williamsburg Chapter’s its 50th Anniversary.
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The last R is for Retain. The challenge here is to communicate with our members, to continuously solicit their input and provide the types of programs that will make them want to get involved. We ended 2018 with a modest but positive growth. Let’s build on it in 2019; it takes a concerted effort on all of our parts.
 
Fraternally, Pete

The George Washington Chapter honored 11 veterans residing at the Sunrise at Mount Vernon Assisted Living facility on 11 Nov by presenting each with a Certificate of Appreciation and Veteran's lapel pin.  This is the second year the chapter has conducted this ceremony.  The Rev. Dr. Thomas Costa provided the invocation, while Chapter President Dave Thomas read from Ecclastiasticus.  Paul Walden provided a brief history of Veterans Day.  Dave Thomas then presented the certificates and pins to the veterans, four of whom were WWII veterans.   In the picture below, L to R, Susan Costa, Paul Walden, Rev. Dr. Thomas Costa, and Dave Thomas (Susan and Paul are holding the front page of the NY Times from 11 Nov 1918.

On November 9, VASSAR honored General Gordon R. Sullivan (Retired U.S. Army) by presenting him with the SAR Gold Good Citizenship Medal at Belle Haven Country Club.  General Sullivan, a native of Boston, MA, retired from the Army in 1995 after 36 years of active service.  He was the Chief of Staff, the Army's senior officer, and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  He also served as a Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Norwich University, and currently is the Chairman of the Board at the Marshall Legacy Institute, MIT Lincoln Labs Advisory Board, and a Life Trustee of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.  He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Army Historical Foundation and is leading the campaign to construct the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

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  ​On Saturday morning, November 2, 2019, the Colonel William Grayson Chapter, along with participants from the Elizabeth McIntosh Hamilton Chapter, DAR, the Colonel William Grayson Society, C.A.R. and the Fairfax Resolves Chapter, marched in the 11th annual Northern Virginia Veterans parade through Old Town Manassas, a parade honoring all veterans and their families.  The Colonel William Grayson Chapter was also a parade sponsor, as they have been for the last several years.
There were 70 units marching in the parade, including many veterans groups, JROTC units from the area, and local school bands.
The 2019 Parade was dedicated to Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, U.S. Navy, who received the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for action in the remote mountains of Afghanistan in pursuit of a Taliban leader, Ahmad Shah.
On June 28, 2005, three of four SEALs on the ground (Murphy, Dietz, Axelson) were killed during combat operations in support of Operation Red Wing. On the same day, a QRF of eight Navy SEALs and 8 Army Night Stalkers were also killed when the MH-47 helicopter that they were aboard was shot down by enemy fire in the vicinity of Asadabad, Afghanistan in Kumar Province.
That action and the story of Lieutenant Murphy were told by Marcus Luttrell, the only survivor of that action, in his book Lone Survivor, which was the basis for the 2013 movie of the same name.  Submitted by Mike Weyler.

​​L-R: Kevin Schwoerer, Barry Schwoerer, Mike Weyler, Leamon Duncan, Mike Taimi, Dave Button, Dave Cook

The Clark County Historical Association held it’s 9th Annual Heritage Day at the Burwell-Morgan Mill in Millwood, Va. on Saturday, November 2nd, 2019.  Compatriots from the Colonel James Wood Chapter of the VASSAR participated in the Event.  Heritage Day offered demonstrations on how individuals in the colonial era performed fundamental activities such as food production, milling, woodworking, hands-on sewing demonstrations, cooking, medicine, and military demonstrations.  In photo below (L to R):
​ Eric Robinson, Dale Corey, Paul Christensen, Kim Simmons, Brett Osborn, Anne Simmons, and Marc Robinson.  Submitted by Dale Corey.

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Chapter President William Greaf presented a NSSAR Law Enforcement Commendation and Medal to Lt. Rick Wanamaker of the Williamsburg Police Department.  This award is given by the SAR to those who have served with distinction and devotion in the field of law enforcement and public safety.  Presenting the award, R to L,  William Greaf, Lt. Rick Wanamaker, and Chapter Secretary Roger Cross.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart

​Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Culpeper Minutemen Monument Dedication Ceremony originally scheduled for October 26, 2019 has been postponed indefinitely.
 
Please distribute this information to all chapter and committee members.
 


R. Wayne Rouse

Secretary, Assistant Treasurer
& Awards Committee Chairman
Virginia SAR
 

George Washington Compatriot Jack Pitzer presents a flag certificate to Rotary President Sharon Meisel at the Oct 15 meeting of the Rotary Club of Alexandria at Belle Haven Country Club. The commendation was for the Rotary's Flags for Heroes program at which more than 200 flags were displayed to honor American service persons and veterans.